76 posts in this topic

JonathanVonErich 2,354

On January 7, 1982, a woman’s body was found five miles south of Breckenridge, Colorado. She had been shot twice. The only two clues at the scene were a set of house keys and one orange sock. The keys belonged to the dead woman, but the orange sock did not.

Six months later and 13 miles away, another woman’s body was found. She had also been shot to death. Police were stunned when they discover that she was wearing the match for the orange sock.

The murdered women were both locals: 29-year old Bobbie Oberholtzer and 21-year old Annette Kay Schnee. They both disappeared on the same day and both had been shot with a medium caliber revolver. The crime scenes were miles from one another and the bodies were found six months apart. And yet police believed that both women were murdered on the same night and by the same man. The prime suspect became Bobbie’s husband, Jeff Oberholtzer. Bobbie and Jeff were married on July 1, 1977, four-and-a-half years before Bobbie was murdered. Jeff ran an appliance repair business, and Bobbie worked as a receptionist. According to Jeff, the day of Bobbie’s death began as usual, she left home at 7:15 A.M. and hitchhiked to work. At 6:20 that evening, Bobbie called to tell Jeff she was having drinks with friends after work. Jeff drove into Breckenridge to look for Bobbie. Her friends told him she had left the bar around 7:30 pm. When Jeff reported to police that Bobbie was missing, they told him it was too early to file a report. Finally, he drove back home to wait for Bobbie.

The next morning, a farmer who lived 30 miles outside Breckenridge found Bobbie’s driver’s license on his property. When Jeff and two friends went to pick it up, they made a disturbing discovery. With the backpack was one of Bobbie’s gloves, spattered with blood, and several bloody tissues. Jeff’s friends helped him organize a search. Two hours later, they found Bobbie’s lifeless body more than fifteen miles from where her backpack was discovered. At the scene, police found three intriguing clues. The only footprints near the body were Bobbie’s. A plastic cord was tied around one of her wrists. And the single orange sock was found nearby.

The same day Bobbie’s body was found, another woman, Annette Schnee, was reported missing. Annette was a cocktail waitress in Frisco, Colorado, and like Bobbie, often hitchhiked to work. From the start, police believed that the two cases were connected. Jeff claimed he had once picked up Annette when she was hitchhiking and he had given her his business card, but had never seen or heard from her since that day. On July 3, 1982, six months after she disappeared, Annette’s body was found. Police were stunned when they discovered she was wearing the other orange sock. Jeff’s business card was found inside her wallet. Among the items found in Annette's backpack was a photograph of a man who has never been identified. Unknown Man

Authorities pieced together a scenario for the two murders. Annette Schnee was last seen in Breckenridge at 4:00 P.M., involved in a serious conversation with a dark-haired woman. Police believe that around 5:00 pm, Annette left to hitchhike home. The killer picked her up and drove 20 miles south of Breckenridge. He took Annette down a short dead-end road and sexually assaulted her. Police believed the killer then drove back to Breckenridge and found his second victim: Bobbie Oberholtzer. The killer drove Bobbie ten miles south of Breckenridge, to a scenic overlook, where he apparently attempted to rape her. When Bobbie escaped from the vehicle, the bootie fell out. The killer then chased her down the road and shot her twice as she turned away. According to Jeff Oberholtzer, he believed his wife knew her killer.

Two months after his wife was murdered, Jeff Oberholtzer took a polygraph exam and passed. From day one, Jeff insisted that he had a rock-solid alibi. He said that at the time the murders were committed, he was at home visiting with a friend. But Jeff was unable to produce the witness for police. Then, finally, in December of 1990, Jeff’s friend surfaced. Jeff's friend became a suspect, but no solid evidences links him to the crimes. A man named Thomas Luther was also a suspect, but was cleared via DNA testing. The Summit County Sheriff’s Department has cleared Jeff Oberholtzer as a suspect in the murder of his wife, Bobbie Jo, and Annette Kay Schnee. The investigation remains open.

JonathanVonErich 2,354

In 2010 new informations came up. The identity of a new suspect was revealed: Tracy Petrocelli. This convicted murderer is suspected of being a serial killer who ended the lives of as many as eight people, including Bobbi Joe and Annette. Two investigators said that they have uncovered strong evidence that connects Petrocelli to the crimes. However it was 1 year ago, and we are still waiting to see these so-called strong evidences linking him to the murders.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

glorybebe 5,466

In 2010 new informations came up. The identity of a new suspect was revealed: Tracy Petrocelli. This convicted murderer is suspected of being a serial killer who ended the lives of as many as eight people, including Bobbi Joe and Annette. Two investigators said that they have uncovered strong evidence that connects Petrocelli to the crimes. However it was 1 year ago, and we are still waiting to see these so-called strong evidences linking him to the murders.

Too bad, the poor husband, he has to go and find her after being told that it was too soon to report her missing, and then it was probably this serial killer.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

JonathanVonErich 2,354

Too bad, the poor husband, he has to go and find her after being told that it was too soon to report her missing, and then it was probably this serial killer.

It was probably Tracy Petrocelli, but I have my doubts.

The two investigators still haven't shared the alleged "strong evidences" linking him to the crimes, and from what I have read they don't want to share comments about this case. This is strange. If indeed they had strong evidence they would have closed the case a long time ago. The proof that the case is still unsolved more than a year after they identified Petrocelli as a suspect is, to me, proof that they thought they have nothing solid against him.

If indeed they have strong evidences then they should do something about it. I know it takes time to close a case, but "strong evidences" would have closed this case months ago.

I agree with the cynical sentiment in part. Also, though, I wonder if the 2 "old fashioned policemen" are playing their cards close to their chest in the hope that any public tips will corroborate the evidence they currently have - it seems they are being circumspect to ensure that the tipsters can prove they are the real deal with details that nobody could have known unless they were involved or it came to them directly by word from the killer.

If that is the case they are sitting on something that they believe somebody who knows the real killer would also reasonably know about - interesting.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

JonathanVonErich 2,354

I agree with the cynical sentiment in part. Also, though, I wonder if the 2 "old fashioned policemen" are playing their cards close to their chest in the hope that any public tips will corroborate the evidence they currently have - it seems they are being circumspect to ensure that the tipsters can prove they are the real deal with details that nobody could have known unless they were involved or it came to them directly by word from the killer.

I agree with you LibstaK, it's possible that the two investigators are being cautious and that they might have a strategy. I'm sure they worked really hard and I'm sure they do everything they can to solve this case ( I certainly hope so ).

However from what I have read it seems like they already had "strong" evidences against this killer, and that they were ready to close the case and to reveal the details of what they have found. I don't know what happened, but one year later the case is still unsolved and the families are still waiting for the answers.

I'm writing an email to the writer of the article about this Petrocelli, maybe he can share one or two things with me.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

libstaK 6,399

Nosce Te Ipsum

Moderator

6,399

7,161 posts

Gender:Female

Location:Melbourne, Australia

Hello Reality and all that is True
When Oxymoron was defined it was just for you

I agree with you LibstaK, it's possible that the two investigators are being cautious and that they might have a strategy. I'm sure they worked really hard and I'm sure they do everything they can to solve this case ( I certainly hope so ).

However from what I have read it seems like they already had "strong" evidences against this killer, and that they were ready to close the case and to reveal the details of what they have found. I don't know what happened, but one year later the case is still unsolved and the families are still waiting for the answers.

I'm writing an email to the writer of the article about this Petrocelli, maybe he can share one or two things with me.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Keel M. 6,914

Okay I got lost as to why they suddenly believed the husband to be a suspect. Just because of his business card in Annette's wallet? I mean at the start of the OP, it is stated that he became a prime suspect, but never mentioned why. Did I miss something?

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

JonathanVonErich 2,354

Okay I got lost as to why they suddenly believed the husband to be a suspect. Just because of his business card in Annette's wallet? I mean at the start of the OP, it is stated that he became a prime suspect, but never mentioned why. Did I miss something?

The only reason why he was the prime suspect is because he was associated to or knew both victims. We don't have much details, but from what I have read it's the only reason why he became the prime suspect. Sheriff Robert Harrison said it best:

“The fact that two victims would both be associated or known by one individual, well, it makes the investigation tend to focus on Jeff Oberholtzer as the primary suspect.”

Also his alibi couldn't be proved.

Sorry if it wasn't very clear, we don't have much infos since Oberholtzer was cleared as a suspect years ago.

Edited October 31, 2011 by JonathanVonErich

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

iamdee1 2

This article is really interesting and I don't know if you have seen it or not. Apparently, 2 psychics, went into this investigation knowing nothing about the two women, they went to the crime scene and told the police things that were never made public. Once they had his attention, they both gave the police the same name of who the killer was.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

JonathanVonErich 2,354

This article is really interesting and I don't know if you have seen it or not. Apparently, 2 psychics, went into this investigation knowing nothing about the two women, they went to the crime scene and told the police things that were never made public. Once they had his attention, they both gave the police the same name of who the killer was.

Really !? Indeed, very interesting. Do you know when it happened ( the year ) ??

Can you share a link please ?? Because I'm a little skeptical when it comes to psychics, but I have an open mind and admit that some cases are credible.

Did anyone happen to notice that both women were killed around their birthday.

Bobbie was born Dec. 25 and died Jan. 6th.-----12 days after her birthday.

Annette was born Jan. 16 and died Jan. 6th.----10 days before her birthday.

Yep, I noticed. Like you said I wonder if it's more than a coincidence. I believe so, but anything is possible. If so then it's proff that the killer knew both victims.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

iamdee1 2

Henry Lee Lucas confessed to killing the girl that was found nude, wearing nothing but orange socks, on Halloween 1979, He later recanted his confession. None of his other victims were found with the orange socks. At the time of the murder, he was working as a roofer in Florida and they were able to verify that he was not in the area during "Jane Doe Orange Socks" murder.

I don't think he did it. It is possible there was two killers active in that area.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

JonathanVonErich 2,354

Henry Lee Lucas confessed to killing the girl that was found nude, wearing nothing but orange socks, on Halloween 1979, He later recanted his confession. None of his other victims were found with the orange socks. At the time of the murder, he was working as a roofer in Florida and they were able to verify that he was not in the area during "Jane Doe Orange Socks" murder.

Henry Lee Lucas have nothing to do with these murders. His "orange sock" victim was killed in 1979, Bobbi Joe and Annette were killed in 1982 and Lucas have nothing to do with this case.

Thanks for the link !

Edited October 31, 2011 by JonathanVonErich

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

iamdee1 2

No, I knew Henry Lee Lucas didn't do these but he did get accused of doing a murder where the girl was found wearing orange socks which I don't think belonged to her. Lucas got accused of it and confessed, however, I don't believe he did it because he was not in the area at the time and pay stubs showed it couldn't have been him.

I was just throwing it out there wondering if this girl killed on Halloween 1979 was killed my the same person that killed Annette and Bobby.

JonathanVonErich 2,354

I wanted to share links to this episode at first, since it's a lot more recent than the episode of Unsolved Mysteries, but I decided not to, simply because I have my doubts about this show. It's great, they "investigate" cases that are not very well known, but some of the psychics hired for the show are, to me, not credible at all. And in this version the psychics don't share names of the suspects. In the NZ version they do.

But hey, thanks for sharing, it gives a good summary of the case, and it's great to watch recent interviews of the husband and others involved in the case.

But this is just odd.. If it's a serial killer, why not more than one pair of orange socks? If it is two killings with one pair of socks, why is it such a mystery? I mean, someone had to have had it for these two women to tie them together in such a way.

The husband might have passed polygraph.. But one can pass, and if I wanted to kill my wife, a setup like this would be great, especially if I thought I could pass a polygraph.